Tokka Week 2012
by Queen of Sneaks
Summary: Every Tokka fan has heard of the amazing Tokka Week. Well, it's finally here! This is my version of the themes for 2012. T to be safe.
1. Day 1: Bending the Rules

**IT'S TOKKA WEEK! Here's the first day's prompt, 'Bending the Rules.' Hide and explode was in the actual series, but the rules were never clarified. Enjoy!**

Tokka Week 2012

Day One: Bending the Rules

Sokka groaned, flopping back on the ground. "I am so bored!"

Aang, Katara, and Toph nodded their assent. The four had finally received a day off from their stressful responsibilities, but they had no idea how to spend it. It was already mid-morning, and sitting was the only thing they had accomplished so far.

"This is worse than the time Sokka left to go swordfight," Toph whined. Her comment earned an answering nod from Katara, but Aang wasn't paying attention. He had a gleam in his eyes that could only signal one thing; an idea.

"Remember when I went to the Fire Nation school? Some kids showed me a game called hide and explode. Everyone hides instead of one person, who covers their eyes. Once everyone's found a hiding spot, the 'Exploder' tries to shoot fire at where they think the players are. If a player is hit, they have to help the Exploder find the others. Last person standing wins," Aang finished up.

"That sounds a little dangerous," stated Katara nervously, "Besides, you're the only firebender."

"Come on, Sugar Queen. It'll be fun," Toph pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess, but what if someone gets burned?" Katara shot back, her voice rising.

"Guys, stop," Aang interjected. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, but this is a fun game. Why don't we take out the fire; you would just have to find the other people instead of exploding them."

Both girls harrumphed. Sokka, however, seemed delighted at the idea. "Who's going to be the Exploder first?"

Katara immediately volunteered. "I will," she snapped with a threatening look at Toph. It seemed that she didn't want to take any chances. "How long should I wait?"

Aang stated, "About a minute. That should give us enough time to find places to hide."

Katara nodded, covered her eyes, and started counting. The three remaining players scattered. Aang ran straight toward a forest, probably to climb a tree. Sokka bolted toward a nearby stream, intent on finding the best spot. His competitive nature was dragged out no matter what game they were playing. The Water Tribe warrior was determined to win.

Sokka was so focused on choosing the best place, he didn't notice Toph running toward him until she crashed into his back. They tumbled down the riverbank with a loud "Oof."

"Toph, go find your own spot. I was here first," Sokka complained in a whisper.

"No," replied Toph, just as quietly. "I have an idea." She grabbed Sokka's arm and stomped hard on the ground. At once, the two found themselves in a hole about twenty feet deep. Toph punched her hand against a wall, and the space opened up to form a nice, cozy chamber. To complete the task, she used earthbending to cover the top of the hole.

"Isn't that cheating?" Sokka asked. He liked to win a game fair and square.

"Of course not. It's just…bending the rules," his friend replied. Sokka could picture her smirking at him. Even though it was pitch black, he could tell that she was smiling deviously.

"Toph, couldn't you have left a little light?" Sokka protested.

"No," stated the girl in question. "They would be able to find us."

"What do you mean, they?" question Sokka.

Toph replied, "Well, your sister isn't going to be able to find us. So, she'll definitely find Aang first, however long it takes. Hopefully, Twinkle Toes will remember his earthbending training, and he'll find us right away."

Sokka stroked his chin. "Right, but why did you drag me here? You could have won with that strategy."

Toph sighed with exasperation. "Did you not just hear me? It'll take them ages to find us. This is just boredom in another place. I needed_ someone _to come down here with me. Katara was counting, and if I took Aang, you and your sister would never find us in a million years. What's the fun in that?" It sounded like she wanted to say something else, but Sokka noticed that she cut herself off.

"Well, what should we do?" asked the Water Tribe boy. "The game isn't worth winning if we'll be bored."

"Exactly," stated Toph. "We should play another game. A game within a game. I have an idea."

Sokka jumped as he felt her hand on his arm. In the darkness, he couldn't tell where Toph was until she touched him. Now he understood – at least partially – how she felt living blind.

"Okay. Here's the deal," Toph started. She took Sokka's hand and placed it on the wall of their hiding place. As she talked, they walked around the enclosure. "I'm showing you how small this place is. I'll walk around, trying to avoid you. You have to try and tag me. If you can, we'll switch. Then, you try and stay out of my way, and I'll try to find you. Got it?"

Sokka nodded, then realized that they were in a dark hole. And that Toph was blind. "Yeah. But this time, no earthbending." He let Toph get a head start, straining his ears to hear a footstep or breath. However, Sokka couldn't hear anything different. The pounding of his own heart was loud in his ears, and, for some reason, his breath seemed to be louder than usual. Concentrating hard, Sokka told his lungs to slow down. Gradually, the loud inhalation was reduced to nearly silent gulps of air. Once he accomplished this, Sokka turned his attention to finding Toph. _Where would she go?_ he thought, trying to put himself in his friend's shoes. She was blind, so the darkness wouldn't affect her. She was small, so she would be easily unnoticeable. And she used vibrations in the earth to see. _Vibrations in the earth…_

"I'm an idiot," Sokka mumbled aloud. Then, a plan formed in his mind, and he was glad that Toph couldn't see the devilish grin on his face. "Toph, this is pointless. You know exactly where I am."

He heard Toph's laugh somewhere to his left. "That means I wi-"

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Sokka had intentionally made Toph speak, only to jump clear across the room to tackle her. Sokka slammed straight into Toph, knocking her to the ground.

"Cheater!" she gasped.

"I'm just…bending the rules," he murmured close to Toph's ear.

Suddenly, light flooded the cavern. Sokka turned his head, catching a glimpse of Aang.

"Are we interrupting something?" he asked. By the airbender's cheeky grin, Sokka could tell he had opened the hatch right at that moment on purpose.

With a jolt, Sokka realized he was still sprawled on top of Toph. "No, not interrupting at all," he stammered. The Water Tribe boy heaved himself off, and then offered his hand to pull Toph to her feet. Both of their faces were beet red.

"Not interrupting?" asked Katara with a smile.

This time, Toph replied. "Nope. No. Nuh-uh."

Katara and Aang turned away, both calling, "You guys won!"

Toph sent herself and Sokka rocketing skyward to get out of the hole. No, Katara and Aang hadn't interrupted anything. But Sokka didn't let go of Toph's hand.


	2. Day 2: Parents

**Please tell me how you feel about today's chapter. I'd like to know if you think the ending is to abrubt; I couldn't decide if I wanted to add onto it or not. Enjoy!**

Day Two: Parents

_"I love my family. I have a mommy. She can't see, but she's the best earthbender in the world. I'm learning earthbending secrets from her, stuff nobody but us knows. I had a daddy, too, but Mommy said he had to leave when I was little. Mommy said he wasn't coming back, ever. I never even got to see him. My mommy told me she would love me enough for the both of them, and that I had to be strong and not miss him. I don't think she misses him, so I won't either._

_But I think I have someone even better than him, someone I think is my real daddy._

_When Mommy and I had to leave our house, I was really little. It was like a big adventure, the kind Mommy went on when she was younger. I remember going to a house way past my bedtime, and my mommy was talking to a nice man. He let us into his house, and we've been there since then. I think this man is my real daddy. A real person in my family wouldn't leave me before I got to meet him. A real person in my family loves me and Mommy. But when I call him Daddy, Mommy says, "No, he's not." I still think he is. _

_My parents aren't married. Mommy says she's married to the man who left us, the man who I don't think is my daddy. Our family is very happy, though. Daddy works as something called a councilman. He says yes and no a lot, with other people. The other people are very grumpy. Mommy catches mean people who do bad things. A lot of times, the people Mommy catches get put in front of Daddy, and then he says yes or no. My family is amazing. I want to be just like them when I grow up."_

As soon as he finished reading aloud Lin's school report, Sokka looked up with tears in his eyes. Lin, though only six years old, had the mind of someone beyond her years. He focused his attention on the woman across from him. Her eyes, though sightless, were wet as well. Because she rarely cried, this half-page of a six year old's wisdom must have truly touched her. Glancing back at the parchment in his hand, Sokka asked, "Toph, are we a family?"

The head of police hastily wiped at her eyes, not wanting to show weakness. She sighed, trying to avoid the question. It wasn't a subject that she had an answer for. "I really am grateful for everything, Sokka. I still can't believe…" Toph trailed off. It was hard for her to admit she had needed help, even to her closest friend.

Sokka quickly replied, "It's not your fault he left. The scoundrel took advantage of a hard time for you. The death of one parent, let alone two, is extremely difficult. I don't blame you for being a bit disoriented back then."

Toph banged her hand on the table, making the cups and dishes rattle. "But I should have seen it coming! Of course, a marriage arranged by my mother and father could never have been good. I think after the betrothal…" Here, Toph placed her hand on her forehead. "I gave up," she admitted. "My parents took most of my childhood away from me. They hid me from the world and tried to control what I did. And they succeeded. They took my free will. You know I didn't want to marry him, right?"

Sokka looked over at Toph, whose head was cradled in her hands. Of course he knew it was an arranged marriage, but Toph was the kind of person that would run away before being forced to do something she didn't want to do.

"Toph," he stated hesitantly, "Why _did_ you marry him."

The earthbender took her time. When she finally did answer, it was in a barely audibly whisper. "They threatened to have you all killed."

Sokka's limbs froze in his chair. "What? They wouldn't go that far, would they? Why didn't you tell us?"

Toph kept her head down. "You don't know them, Sokka. They're control freaks. All they wanted was an obedient daughter to complete a nice little family. When they got me, they didn't give up on their vision of perfection. That's all my parents want. Control and perfection. As to why I didn't inform you, well, that's not a pretty tale. I told them you guys could defend yourselves. They said that no one could defend against poison. And of course, that made sense. It could happen anytime, anywhere. It wouldn't make a difference if I told you; you'd have to eat and drink sometime."

Sokka couldn't speak. It made sense, of course; Toph cared for her friends more than anything in the world. "Toph…" He didn't know what to say. Sokka was glad to have her in his life; someone like her only came once in a lifetime, a person who would make their life miserable in order to protect his.

Toph picked up her head. "I thought he wouldn't be so bad. That maybe I could just avoid him," she snapped bitterly. "I just never expected…" She let the sentence fade again.

Sokka placed his hand carefully over hers. "No one thought he would run away with the Bei Fong money, Toph. I'm just glad you came here." He applied pressure to her hand, and Toph squeezed gently in return.

Toph held her chin out, a little of her spunk coming back. She had an answer to Sokka's earlier question. "I think we are a family. Lin considers you her father, after all."

Sokka looked over at the little girl, practicing her earthbending in a corner of the room. "I'm proud to be her parent, even if it's not possible for me to be your husband." He knew that, because of Toph's legal husband, it would never be possible.

Toph lowered her head again. "I wish you were."


	3. Day 3: Bedtime

**Two things. First, I realized that in the previous chapter, Toph's actions were a lot like Lin's choice in Turning the Tides, when Chief Bei Fong sacrifices herself to save Tenzin. Second, to me, the story is always that Toph was forced into marriage and had Lin. It isn't always true that the man ran away with her money; in this case, it's just that he passed away or wasn't there. I just never put Sokka as Lin's biological father, because then, Linzin wouldn't be possible and my heart would be broken. Anyway, enough of me rambling. On to day three!**

Day Three: Bedtime

"Goodnight!" Katara called over her shoulder, walking away with Aang.

"Thanks for having us over, Toph." Zuko and Mai turned away from Toph's door, heading in the other direction.

"Should I help clean up?" Sokka asked. Toph had invited the gang over to her house for a small reunion. Even though Team Avatar passed each other as they went about their lived, they hadn't had a chance to sit down together and catch up. Toph had come straight home from work, not even bothering to change out of her uniform, and called everyone.

Toph shook her head in response. "I'll straighten the house up in the morning. It's pretty late, and it's past Lin's bedtime."

Sokka ignored her and closed the open door. "I can at least get started."

The chief of police sighed. "If you insist on doing something, help me with Lin instead. She always asks for a bedtime story, and for the life of me, I can't come up with one. I'm exhausted."

Sokka realized that Toph hadn't gotten a chance for a break all day. Police work must be strenuous, and then she had the dinner party to host. He followed Toph into the only bedroom in the small house. There, six year old Lin stood, dressed in her pajamas. Toph scooped her daughter up and into the bed. Gently, she brought the sheet up to Lin's chin.

"Sokka's going to tell you a story tonight. I'm a bit tired." Toph sat down next to her daughter with her arms around her knees.

Lin nodded, then shifted her glance to where Sokka stood awkwardly. The Councilman crossed the room and took a seat on the bed on the other side of Lin. He looked around for inspiration. Encouragement came from the soft flickering of a lone torch mounted on the wall.

"Has your mother told you about the time we set Katara's pants on fire?"

Lin, with amazement in her eyes, shook her head. Sokka looked over at Toph, who wore a grin that lit up her entire face.

"Well," began Sokka, "I have to start with a man called the Mechanist. He was an inventor, always looking for a way to make things better. A while ago, I left home to see if he had any fresh projects. The Mechanist said he discovered a new gas. He told me that he was walking in a tunnel when he tried to light his torch. The Mechanist's hand slipped, and he feared he would be burned. But somehow, he was perfectly fine! He passed his hand over the flame again, but still, he wasn't burned. The inventor walked a long way, making sure his torch stayed lit. He tried it again, but the flames gave off no heat. He put out the fire and lit the torch again. This time, when he put his fingers in the fire, they burned."

Lin stopped Sokka there. "Was he alright?"

"Of course," Sokka replied. "The Mechanist has had a whole bunch of bumps and bruises over the years. A little heat was nothing to him."

Lin sighed with relief, and Sokka continued with his tale. "Now, when I went to talk with him, naturally, he told me of his discovery. He had run some tests and determined that a gas was in that tunnel that could burn without emitting heat. This was great news; we could light passageways without the threat of them burning down, and young children's rooms could be illuminated without them hurting themselves. There was only one bad part. Firebenders couldn't bend this type of fire."

At this point, Sokka took down the torch on the wall. "Watch," he stated. Lin's eyes were glued to him as he passed his hand through the fire. Sokka turned to the little girl. "You try."

Tentatively, she placed a finger in the flames. When it didn't hurt, she let out a cry of joy and placed both hands in the inferno. While this was happening, Sokka studied her carefully. Lin's eyes reflected the blaze in a way that made it seem as if they were on fire. Her grin stretched across her face, and Sokka could tell she was having a great time. She looked just like her mother did when a plan went right. Smoothly, Sokka placed the torch back on the wall. He had Lin's safety to worry about.

"Lin, you have to understand. Not all fire is like that. You should only touch flames if your mother, or someone she trusts, tells you it's okay."

"So she trusts you?" the young girl inquired.

Sokka looked over at Toph. She was quietly listening to the scene playing out before her. "Yes, she does," Sokka replied. "Anyway, back to the story. A few months later, the Mechanist thought he had discovered another place that held the gas. Sadly, he was bedridden because of a mishap with one of his other inventions. So, he asked me to go check out the place for him. I took your mother along with me, so I wouldn't be bored the whole way. She tends to make things…interesting." Sokka shot a glance at Toph. That was a huge understatement. "We got to the cave, and sure enough, it was the right gas. I thought we were just going to go home, and everything was going to be fine. But no. Your mother had a plan."

Here Sokka stopped again. "You know who Katara is, right, Lin?"

The girl nodded.

Sokka smiled. "She's my sister, and she's kind of strict. So, we constructed a prank to pull on her. I lit a fire with the gas while we were at the cave. This was the first step in your mother's scheme. On the way back, we looked after the little flame to make sure it wasn't going to go out. Then, as soon as we got home, I distracted Katara and your mother snuck up behind her with the torch. Katara screamed when she noticed her pants were ablaze!" Sokka made his voice sound high pitched and scrunched his face, in a horrible attempt at an impression of his sister. "'Aang! Help! I'm on fire!' For a minute, she forgot she was a waterbender. By the time Aang got outside, Katara realized she wasn't being burned and turned to us, really angry. We were laughing so hard, we couldn't stand!"

Toph interjected, "I remember rolling on the ground, snorting. Katara was trying to scold us while her pants were still on fire. It didn't quite work out."

Lin giggled at that, but though she was paying attention, her eyelids were drooping. The girl was obviously very tired.

Sokka wanted to finish his story. "When we finally stopped laughing, Katara yelled at us a bit, and Aang was pretty freaked out. But it was all worth it."

He looked down, but Lin had already fallen asleep. She had a slight smile on her face, as if she was dreaming about the yarn Sokka had just spun. He brushed her hair back from her brow, then tenderly placed a kiss on her forehead. He turned to leave, then froze.

"I'm acting like she's my own daughter," he muttered.

"For the record," mumbled Toph in a sleepy voice, "She wishes you were."

Sokka turned to look over his shoulder. Toph was sprawled out on the other half of the bed, nearly asleep. "It's kind of late," he murmured.

Toph yawned. "It's way past my bedtime."

After he slowly crossed the room, Sokka pulled the sheets up to the sleeping woman's chin. He leaned down, sweeping her bangs out of her eyes, and lovingly kissed her temple, just as he had done with Lin. Then, Sokka walked out of the room. It was way past his bedtime, too.


	4. Day 4: Duty

**Sorry this is so late! My head is completely fried, and my muse has been... inaccessible. Anyway, onward to Day Four!**

Day Four: Duty

Toph flexed her feet, letting the warm wash of sunset spread over her entire body. She had been told that sunsets were beautiful, that colors merged with each other in a beautiful palette of oranges and golds. But that didn't matter to her. She had always enjoyed the physical aspect of the sun setting; the last rays thrown over the horizon always seemed the warmest to Toph. Plus, it didn't hurt that during this particular sunset, she had Sokka beside her.

The two had trekked to the top of the mountainous hill to get away. Toph had no idea what they were getting away from; most likely it was the pressure of a new life after the war. They had new responsibilities to cope with, along with new duties.

"I never should have come back to my parents," grumbled Toph. She had returned, feeling terrible that she ran off without a word. In retaliation, or so it seemed, Toph's parents had arranged a marriage to 'keep her settled down.' Basically, they were trapping her. Already, the groom-to-be had visited the Bei Fong estate, thrilled that of the riches would be his, along with a 'beautiful bride.'

"Did you get to meet Tam Yog?" asked Sokka.

Even the name of her betrothed brought a sour taste to Toph's mouth. "Yeah. He's a greedy, pompous idiot who thinks I can't even walk by myself. Tam Yog walks around the place like he owns it – which he does. It kills me to see the Bei Fong fortune wasted on someone who'll only use it for their own enjoyment." If Toph had control of her own money, she would use it as funding for something grand and useful – a police force, maybe. "Why are you so glum, Snoozles?" Toph inquired, sending a well-aimed punch to his shoulder.

Sokka, rubbing at his arm, replied, "Well, you know how I've been staying at the North Pole? They have this marriage law there that lets every parent choose who their daughter's suitor will be. I've been trying to change it though; we're living better now that the war has ended."

"So? What does that have to do with your pouty face?"

He sighed. "Because I played a role in the war, I've got a whole list of sixteen year olds whose fathers want them to marry me. The thing is, I don't want to force them into anything, but I can't respectfully say no. You and me, we've both got marriage problems."

"No," stated Toph harshly. "They're duty problems. Marriage itself isn't the problem. As my father said, marriage is all about having a duty to your partner. If we were allowed to chose who we married, it wouldn't be a dilemma."

"Instead, we have a duty to our people," Sokka finished. "I met a girl, a long time ago, who had similar problems. She was a princess from the North Pole, and she always put her people before herself."

"Always?" asked Toph. She was looking for a way out. If a royal princess could cast off her responsibilities, so could she.

"Not exactly," responded Sokka. "She did act selfish once, when she was engaged to an arrogant fool."

"Then that settles it." Toph stood up, stretching. "I'm not gonna listen to duty. It's a load of manure. And so is Tam Yog."

Sokka grabbed her arm. "What are you doing? You can't just run away."

Toph grasped the front of her friend's shirt. "Oh yeah? Watch me." She turned and marched straight down the embankment.

Sokka had forgotten how stubborn the girl was at times. "Toph, come back. At least explain yourself. What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?"

She turned around. "Sokka, you heard Aang's offer. He told us about the new city. What's it called? Public City?"

"Republic City," Sokka interjected.

"Yeah. He said we were always welcome, and that he'd give us whatever job we wanted. Isn't there a dream you've wanted to chase? This stupid duty is holding us back! I've always wanted to catch criminals; I wish I'd be able to see the look on their faces when they get caught by a blind girl, only fourteen years old. Isn't there something you've wanted to do?"

Sokka nodded, remembering some of his past adventures. "I think I'd love being a detective, or a judge. When we went to a town, Chin Village, Aang was accused of murder. It was amazing, trying to put together all the clues. Even though Aang could have died at any moment. Also, the trial there wasn't exactly fair. I have some ideas of my own on how a great government could be started, so every nation could have their say in court."

Toph grinned. "See? We'd even get a chance to be with each other! I catch the crooks, then you sentence them to life in prison!" She didn't try to hide her joy; spending her job working alongside Sokka would be a true delight. "And it's our duty to Aang to help with the city. We took down the Fire Lord, almost burning down the whole world in the process. We have to do anything we can to help Aang rebuild humanity."

Sokka nodded, now fully on board with the plan. "When should we do it? When should we run away?"

"Idiot. Right now!" Toph started running before she finished, hooting with delight. Sokka chased after her, caught up in the moment.

It felt amazing to both of them. Gone were the countless days of cursing marriage and society, gone were the days they had to endure greedy grooms and screaming fangirls. Both Sokka and Toph were leaving their duties behind them; as Toph eloquently put it, they no longer had to carry their 'load of manure.' Then again, the two were running towards a new duty, a new dawn.

But this time, they were able to face it together. The 'manure' was easier to carry when they shared it with each other. And besides, it wasn't really 'manure' when they were living out their dreams, was it?


	5. Day 5: Lost

**I have absolutely no idea when this takes place; just assume that the story happens after Appa gets taken away, but before the Serpent's Pass. And on a random note, have you ever noticed how much Tenzin is like Sokka? He's got the awesome beard like Sokka's alter ego, Wang Fire, and even has a bison named Oogie. Anyways...**

Day Five: Lost

The group had been walking for hours. For some reason, the terrain didn't seem to be changing. It was almost as if they were walking around in circles. And to make matters worse, a dense fog was coming.

"I think Mother Nature hates us!" grumbled Sokka.

"Come on, it's only a little fog," replied Aang cheerfully.

"Yeah, Sokka," added Katara. "Aang and I can bend it if it gets too thick.

By the end of her sentence, the fog had closed around them. It happened in an instant; one moment, Sokka could see everyone in the group fine. The next, he could barely make out his own hand.

Sokka had been in fog before, and it always gave him the chills. It reminded him of the time he had been trapped in the Spirit World. In the fog, things could emerge suddenly. He was completely blind to his surroundings until they nearly smacked him in the face. It was also very easy to get disoriented and lost when you couldn't tell where you were going.

His fear escalated slightly; Sokka was wandering around alone, lost. He couldn't find anyone in Team Avatar. Aang and Katara could both bend the fog, so they were fine. Toph could see everyone with earthbending, so she was fine. In fact, she was Sokka's greatest chance of being found. To make it easier on the girl, Sokka decided he would stay put.

He stopped walking and noticed that his roaming had brought him to the base of an enormous tree. Now all he had to do was sit and wait.

That turned out to be the hard part. Although Sokka could sleep through almost anything, he didn't dare try to take a nap, for fear that some carnivorous animal would find him. Sokka had no clue what could be lurking just beyond his field of view.

It also didn't help that Sokka got bored easily.

The boy's stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, as Team Avatar had planned to stop soon to eat. Now, all the food was far away with Aang. Speaking of Aang, Sokka had no idea why the airbender hadn't come to rescue him. By now, Toph should have found her way to the group. What was going on? He hoped he wouldn't have to wait long for an answer.

Sokka didn't notice Toph until she crawled right up to him. Her tunic was torn and drenched, and her hair was out of her headband. Toph, shivering, stated, "I now officially hate fog."

Sokka pulled her into a sitting position. "What happened to you? Where are the others?"

Toph shook her head. "I have no idea. I got completely lost. The ground is so weird here. Before the mist, everything was perfectly normal. Then, suddenly, I couldn't tell where I was. The earth was shifting too quickly. It was like being on sand, but ten times worse."

"So Aang and Katara? They don't know where we are?" Sokka persisted.

"No. Aang won't be able to tell we're here using earthbending, and unless they can clear the entire valley's worth of fog, they won't have any idea."

Sokka let his head thunk back against the tree. That meant they had to wait out the fog. And with no food! Sokka heard chattering beside him, and he turned his head to the right. Toph was huddled in a ball, trembling. She was soaked to the bone, and obviously very cold.

Sokka wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling Toph closer to him. She was freezing. The girl must have been wandering in the chilly mist the entire time.

"Thanks," Toph chattered. She pushed herself into Sokka's side, seeking warmth.

Sokka looked down at her. This was the most vulnerable the 'greatest earthbender' had ever been. Heart twinging, Sokka felt the urge to protect her. "Why don't you try to get some sleep? I'll wake you if anything happens."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Toph's teeth weren't rattling as much as they were before. "I'll never be able to sleep. I'm used to feeling everything around me, all the people and animals and plants. But now I can't. If I put you at the bottom of the ocean, blindfolded, would you be able to sleep?"

"I'd probably be dead, considering I can't breathe underwater."

Toph punched him in the shoulder. "That's not what I mean. How come _you're_ not asleep, Snoozles?"

Sokka shrugged. "It's creepy. I'm afraid something will pop out of the fog and, I don't know, chop off our heads and eat them. This place is weird."

"Exactly!" Toph pointed out. "It's the same with me. I keep thinking something will pop out at me. For once, I'm actually blind. It's not fun."

Sokka shifted to a more comfortable position. "I think fog will lift by morning. Usually, the sun's rays can slice through it."

"How far off is morning?" questioned Toph.

Yawning, the boy replied, "Judging by how tired I am, I'd say about four hours."

"Four hours? Of doing nothing?" Toph complained.

"Hey, I've been doing nothing for the past eight or so hours. Two more won't be that boring."

Sokka was completely wrong. The next hours became torture. Eventually, he and Toph ran out of meaningful things to say, and their minds were so exhausted, they couldn't even make small talk. Sokka felt his eyelids drooping every now and then, but he would pinch himself just to stay awake. He liked his head and didn't want it to be chopped off and eaten. Toph, however, was a different story. Despite telling Sokka that she would stay awake, she dropped into dreamland quickly. The long walk to the valley, combined with hours of wandering around aimlessly, had tuckered her out.

The fatigue was playing tricks on Sokka's mind. Every now and then, he could have sworn he heard Aang's voice calling to him, or seen Katara's face blinking through the fog. Then, as it got closer to dawn, Sokka seemed to see odd creatures bent on killing him; a huge mouse with the head of a hippo tried especially hard to decapitate him.

Then, finally, pale, weak light fought through the mist. Toph would be happy that they'd be getting out soon. "Wake up," he mumbled. He turned to shake her awake, and noticed that she was on fire. "What?"

Sokka opened his eyes; he must have fallen asleep. He immediately turned to Toph, who was sound asleep and not being burned to a crisp. He had been dreaming.

Then, Sokka focused on a voice calling his name. He twisted his head and saw Aang flying toward the tree on his glider. "Sokka!"

Toph snapped awake at the sound. "It's Twinkle Toes! They found us?"

Sokka pulled her to her feet. They ran to meet Aang halfway. "Where's Katara?" demanded Sokka.

Aang smiled. "It's fine. She's back at the camp."

"You guys set up camp without us?" Toph asked, aghast.

Aang nodded sheepishly. "Sorry. We didn't know where you guys had gone. Why didn't you just stick with us? We didn't even have to do anything. The fog by us cleared before we even had time to bend it. It was freaky. No fog, fog, no fog."

"What?" shouted Sokka. "You mean to say that we've suffered in the damp, freezing mist all night while you guys were perfectly cozy?"

Aang nodded. "Why did you guys walk into the fog? Don't you know that's how people get lost?"

Toph placed a hand to her forehead. "We did get lost. But why was there fog only where we were?"

Sokka put in, "When this first started, the fog and the valley reminded me of the Senlin Village, that time I got trapped in the Spirit World. Maybe this place is connected with the spirits."

Aang looked thoughtful. "Then wouldn't they target me?"

Sokka shook his head. "Maybe they like you, but hate us."

Toph held up her hands. "Guys, stop. You lost me at the whole Spirit World thing. Let's just give up and be happy that none of our heads were eaten."

Sokka nodded. Aang took off toward the camp, instructing Sokka and Toph to follow him. "Oh, and guys," he called over his shoulder, "Try not to get lost again!"


	6. Day 6: Loose Cannon

**I have no idea what I just wrote. I couldn't think of anything to write for the prompt, so this is basically a load of manure. However, I am determined to see Tokka week through to the end. Sadly, there's only one more day! Oh, and another Tenzin and Sokka reference in this chapter. I didn't even realize it until I reread my work. Oh, and by the way, I took loose cannon to mean 'unpredictable.' **

Day Six: Loose Cannon

"Chief Bei Fong speaking. Who's calling me at midnight?" Toph tried to keep the grogginess out of her voice. She had been rudely awakened from a pleasant dream by the harsh ringing of the newly invented telephone.

"S-sorry, chief," an unknown voice stuttered. The rowdy calls of drunken men nearly drowned out his words. "There's a man here at Zui's Tavern who's pretty drunk. We don't want him arrested; we're just trying to get him home."

"Fine. What's his name?" Toph Bei Fong was getting fed up with the constant calls from Zui's. A new idiot managed to get himself too drunk to stand every day. She was always called to drag him home.

"He says he's called Sokka," the voice replied.

"Spirits…" muttered Toph. "Okay, what is he doing? I know this guy. He can be a bit of a loose cannon when drunk."

"Yeah." The man on the other end paused a moment, as if looking to see what was going on. "Sokka's threatening to slit the bartender's neck with a fork if the poor guy doesn't give him 'Foo Foo Cuddlypoops,' whatever that is."

Toph rubbed her temple. "I'll be right over."

Sighing, she placed the receiver on the hook and turned to her closet. Toph metalbended her uniform onto her body; this way, no one would wonder why she was heading into a pub at this time of night.

She stepped outside of her house. The night air was quiet, and a chilly breeze blew the bangs off of Toph's face. No one was out and about as the Chief of Police turned the corner. Zui's was only a few blocks from her apartment.

The raucous laughter reached Toph's ears very quickly; she was positive it was directed at her Water Tribe friend. As she neared the door, Toph smiled. She loved this part of her job.

Toph kicked open the door. It slammed against the wall with a bang. Instantly, the tavern quieted, and Toph could feel all eyes on her. Or, rather, most eyes.

Sokka was the only one speaking, and the only one not paying attention to the new arrival. "Please," he sobbed. "Can't anyone tell me where that cute saber-tooth moose lion is?"

Toph strode straight past the onlookers and through the stone pub. She marched up to Sokka and grabbed his shirt. "Come on, Snoozles, I'm taking you home."

"No!" Sokka tried to attack Toph with the fork. Everyone in the tavern held their breath. No one in town could attack Chief Bei Fong without getting a serious beating. "I have to find Foo Foo Cuddlypoops! It's an emergency! I have to apologize to him. I've been a bad Sokka. I've been eating meat!"

Toph simply bended the fork out of Sokka's hand, saying, "You always eat meat."

"Whoa!" he whispered, still caught up in her display of bending. "You can bend forks! You're a forkbender! Hey, everybody! This lady's able to bend silverware!"

Toph sighed. Sokka really _was_ a loose cannon when drunk. She picked him up and slung him over her shoulder. Years of working with the police had strengthened Toph's already prominent muscles, and she was able to carry Sokka with only a bit of difficulty.

"Sorry, Zui!" she called to the bartender as she walked out the door. "I'll try to knock some sense into this buffoon!"

Sokka cheered as she crossed the street, headed home. "I get to ride a sky bison! Yip yip!"

"Sokka, shut up!" Toph snapped. "It's the middle of the night, and I can't fly."

Sokka continued to ramble, making the short walk last an eternity to Toph. It was a huge relief when she finally reached her door. Toph pushed it open and dumped Sokka on the couch. He seemed to be slightly less intoxicated, but Toph wasn't sure.

"I'm going to bed." Toph articulated her words slowly and carefully, as if speaking to a two year old. "You sleep here, and don't bother me. Okay?"

She could hear the grin in Sokka's voice. "Okay, Chief. Love you! Goodnight!"

Toph, who was already halfway to the stairs, froze in her tracks. Slowly, she asked, "What did you say?"

"I said 'goodnight.'"

"No, before that."

"'Okay, Chief.'"

"Between the two."

Sokka took a moment to think. "I breathed? Is that the right answer? Did I pass the test, Chief?"

Toph turned to leave. "Yeah, I guess." For a moment, she had a hope. She had thought that, maybe, Sokka had actually loved her. But no, it was just the alcohol speaking. Her entire body sang with disappointment as Toph headed up the stairs. What had she thought? Years of nothing but platonic love from Sokka, then barely a second of alcohol-induced confession? That didn't mean anything. She had been a fool to think otherwise.

Toph placed her clothes in the closet desolately, then jumped into bed. Under the cover of sleep, she could forget this whole thing ever happened.

. . .

For some reason, human nature is twisted. When morning brought the feeble heat of daytime across Toph's face, the first thing she remembered was the first thing she wanted to forget. It was odd. Some of the greatest things in her childhood were faded memories, yet tragic events stood out. It was as if the spirits were playing a cruel prank on her.

Toph put her uniform back on and trekked downstairs. Sokka was still asleep, snoring away on the couch. She stomped over to him. "Sokka, wake up!"

Of course, he didn't stir. Toph _had _nicknamed him Snoozles for a reason. The woman leaned over and raised her hand, intending to poke him. But if Sokka was a physical loose cannon, she was an emotional one.

Needless to say, a slap to the face is an excellent way to wake up a sleeping Councilman. "Wake up!" Toph shouted.

Sokka jumped from his position, whipping out his trusty boomerang."Pirates? Ozai? What is it? Who's attacking?"

Toph replied, "It's me, Sokka. I have to go to work, and you were sleeping."

Toph could sense Sokka look around. "I'm in your house? Why? And why couldn't you have just let me sleep?"

The Chief replied, "You were drunk at Zui's last night, and you tried to kill him with a fork. If I left you alone in my house, who knows what might happen."

"Come on, Toph. I'm a bit more responsible than you think," Sokka retorted.

"Oh yeah? You were convinced that I was a forkbender."

Sokka deflated. "Really? It was that bad? What else did I say?"

Toph bowed her head. Of course, she could just make something up and go on with her life. But she knew Sokka's offhand statement would bug her for the rest of her life if she didn't say anything. And the Chief of Police was known for being a bit unpredictable at times. She raised her chin, head held high. "You said you loved me."

Toph felt Sokka's entire body stiffen. He didn't move a muscle until he muttered. "Well, I…I-" Sokka cut himself off, took a deep breath, and continued. "I do. I'm sorry."

He made a move to get out of Toph's house, but the woman stopped him. "So it wasn't just the beer?" Sokka didn't answer the question. Toph's hopes were back, tenfold this time. He loved her. A part of Toph thought she should stop and think it over, that there was a right and wrong way of replying. But Toph had always been one of those people who liked to take a chance. "I love you, too."

Sokka was just as surprised as she was to hear her words. He seemed to be contemplating about what to say, but Toph beat him to it.

"Get out of my house."

"What?" Sokka was completely confused, and Toph had to hide her smirk. The Councilman started to stutter, asking about Toph's sudden change of heart.

Toph couldn't hold back her grin any longer. Smiling, she commanded, "I said, get out of my house. I have to go to work, and I really don't want to come home and find this place blown to bits."

Sokka relaxed, glad that he wasn't in trouble, and saluted Toph. "Yes, Chief Bei Fong, sir!" He got up, headed toward the door.

"Sokka!" Toph called. She heard his footsteps halt. "Try to stay away from the beer tonight!"


	7. Day 7: Moment of Truth

**Sadly, today is the last day of Tokka week, and it won't come again for a whole 'nother year! Anyway, have fun reading this last installment!**

Day Seven: Moment of Truth

Sokka took a deep breath. He didn't want Toph to think he was uneasy; he didn't want her suspecting that this was more than their usual trip to the lake. He had her hand in his, pulling her along past the rocky trail. It was nearly sunset, and, although it wouldn't mean anything to Toph, Sokka enjoyed the beautiful melting of color in the heavens.

He dragged Toph to their usual spot, a rock that jutted out over the water. So many times they had sat on that outcrop, tossing pebbles into the lake. Sokka would lean over, trying to watch them as they made their progress to the bottom, but never was he able to see the small stones hit the silt.

Toph was following him willingly, and for once, she didn't say anything. Usually, she would complain to Sokka, telling him that she didn't see a point on going all that way just to sit and talk. But Sokka knew that, secretly, she loved the place. It was_ their_ place, their lake, their rock.

Sokka plopped himself down, pulling Toph to the ground with him. He still held her right hand in his left. With his free hand, Sokka grasped the object in his pocket. He had to do this tonight, or he wouldn't have the courage to.

"What's the matter with you?" Toph asked. The words were strong, but her tone was soft. Somehow, she knew how important this instant was to Sokka, and how important it might be to her.

Sokka coughed. _I'm going to do it. Yes. Right now. Don't chicken out._ "I…" He looked over at Toph. Her toes were barely skimming the water, creating tiny ripples that grew until they seemed to span the entire lake. Then, Sokka's eyes traveled to Toph's face. Anticipation sang in every muscle. Sokka realized that she knew what was coming. That, in itself, cost him the moment. Sokka bowed his head. "I, uh, my dinner didn't really agree with me."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Toph deflate. "Oh," she stated. Was she disappointed?

Sokka was irritated at himself. That had been the perfect moment, the moment of truth. Why had he lost his nerve? Steeling himself again, Sokka reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.

Before, Sokka had been very proud of his work. Into the necklace's circular pendant, he had etched a design combining the Earth Kingdom symbol with that of the Water Tribe. Now, looking at it in comparison with the brilliant sunset and the beautiful woman beside him, Sokka thought it was crude. Then again, he had never been much of a carver.

Sokka closed his fist around the stone, then brought Toph's hand up to it. "Here," he murmured, trying not to stutter, "In the Water Tribe, it's customary to whittle a necklace when you…" Sokka took a deep breath. He was wrong. He hadn't missed his moment of truth; it was right here. "When you ask someone to marry you."

Toph's hand, which had been searching the necklace, froze. "Are you serious?" she asked. Of course, she knew Sokka wouldn't joke about something like that, but both of them needed the reassurance.

"One hundred percent," Sokka replied. He gently pried the betrothal necklace from her hand. "Can I put this on you?"

Toph nodded. Tears were filling up her eyes. She brushed back the hair from her neck. Sokka wrapped his arms around her, bringing the piece of jewelry up to her neck.

"Wait!" cried Toph. Sokka didn't move. "Did you ask my parents? They'd be furious."

Sokka chuckled nervously. "Yes, of course I asked them."

Toph turned to face him. "Then why are you so edgy?"

"Well," Sokka started, "They didn't exactly say yes. In fact, they got one of their guards to throw me out of your house."

"And you're still doing this?" Toph asked. It was said that if consent was not given from both sets of parents, the pair couldn't get married. If they did, terrible fortune would fall on the house of the newlyweds.

Sokka pulled Toph into an embrace. "Yes. If you want, we don't have to get married legally. We'd both know in our hearts that we're engaged, even if your parents don't like it. This way, we could avoid bad luck."

Toph pushed back from Sokka. "No."

Dread coursed through the man's veins. No? She was really saying no?

Toph pulled her hair up again. "You're putting that necklace on me, and we're getting married. We've already had enough bad luck to last a lifetime; the spirits can't possibly give us any more. And besides, whatever they throw at us, we can handle. We're part of Team Avatar, right?"

Now it was Sokka's turn to have tears spring to his eyes. Tenderly, he placed the necklace around Toph's neck and tied the ribbon in the back. The woman let her hair fall and turned to Sokka. "So, should we invite the old gang? We could have a secret underground wedding with Twinkle Toes, and Sugar Queen, and Sparky, and Iroh, oh and your dad, that would be nice…maybe we could invite the Boulder? Are you still obsessed with him? We could make all the guests fight in a big arena! That would be hilarious to watch…"

Sokka let Toph ramble on. He looked out across the lake, watching the stars start to peek out from behind the dying sunbeams. Everything, to him, was perfect. They were in _their_ place, talking about _their _future. And Toph? She was more than perfect. She was willing to go against her parents' commands to marry him. And she was strong enough to not care about any horrible luck that the legend said they would have. She loved him that much.

Sokka glanced over at her, still wondering about the future. Would he do the same for her?

It was a question that required no thought. Of course he would. He loved her.

Sokka wrapped his arms around Toph. He was wrong again. His proposal wasn't the moment of truth. The moment of truth came when both of them knew that they would rather live a troubled life together than contented lives apart.


End file.
